Half a mile away, on a rooftop, Chat set Marinette carefully down.

"Are you sure you're okay?" He asked anxiously. His lady had been trembling when he picked her up, regardless of the bold face she'd put on, and even though that had eased as he'd carried her, she was still pale.

"Yes." Marinette attempted a smile. "I just need to destroy this...and maybe make a phone call so a friend knows I'll be late for dinner."

Chat eyed her. He had been too concerned to notice much before, but she looked breathtaking in a blue dress of obviously her own design and matching heels.

"Were you wearing that lovely dress and heels to meet this friend?" He asked coyly. Marinette colored and looked away.

"No! I just thought that it looked pretty! Why would I dress up for someone else?" Then just as quickly: "Is it too much? I thought it looked nice but I don't want to make it look like I put a huge amount of thought into it, I mean, that would be crazy, I just-" Chat fought the urge not to kiss her, but did it anyway.

 "You look beautiful." He assured her as they broke apart. "You friend is very lucky. Actually-" Chat hesitated. Was now the right time? "Marinette, I have something very important to-"

"Important! Yes! We both have something important to do!" Marinette almost brained Chat with the heavy envelope she was brandishing. "I have to destroy this envelope, and you have to...go do...hero stuff!" She kept babbling, her heart was beating fast. She didn't want to know who was under the mask, she did want to know. After all, if it was Adrian, then she would officially be in love with one of her best friends and partners...but what if it wasn't? Or...even if it was, what would happen when their secrets were out there in the open? Their friends and families might be in danger from Hawkmoth, either of them could be used as bait for a trap if he found out how much they cared for each other...or worse...what if all the fun of their partnership came from not knowing? Could she really continue if she and Chat/Adrian couldn't make their relationship work? Could she really continue her life without one of her most valued friends by her side?

I lost him for five years. She reminded herself. I can't lose him again. It was better to be a friend, then to not have him in her life at all. Her lips still tingled from where he kissed her but she pushed it away.

"Can you..."she held out the envelope, "help me destroy this? I need to make a call."

Chat took it, an inquisitive look on his face as he turned it over in his hands.

"What is in it?" He asked.

"You don't know?" Marinette asked, breathing an internal sigh of relief. Chat shook his head.

"I spotted you just as you gave that Jasper that wicked right-cross."

"His name is Jacques." Marinette chuckled, and Chat's heart lightened, seeing her smile.

"Doesn't matter, he's scum." Chat decided cheerfully. Marinette laughed again.

"He was a jerk." She agreed, "I can't believe I ever dated him." She winced at the memory and didn't see Chat glower. "Well," she said, changing the subject, "do you think you can destroy these? I'm going to really feel bad if I keep Adrian waiting for me."

Chat blinked. In the excitement he had completely forgotten their date that night.

"Adrian Agreste? The model?" He asked cautiously, just in case.

"He was, not sure what he's doing now." Marinette mused.

"Chasing down the love of his life and beating up her ex-boyfriend." Chat muttered under his breath.

"What was that?" Marinette asked.

"Eh...nothing." Chat said. "You go make your call, don't worry about me. I was a Boy Scout back when I was a little kitten." He winked. Marinette rolled her eyes.

"Silly kitty." She scolded, walking away to a far corner of the rooftop. How could she have ever thought that sweet, serious Adrian was under the mischievous, jocular mask of Chat Noir?

When Marinette was far enough away, Chat Noir carefully took a peek inside the envelope. His eyes widened slightly in shock as he saw pictures of Nino, Marinette and himself, obviously taken in secret.

"I should've hit him harder," he muttered, closing the envelope. "Don't worry my lady," he promised out loud. "I'll make sure he doesn't get that close to you again."

An abandoned paint can had been left on the roof, and Chat used that as a defacto stove for containing the fire. He dumped the envelope inside and lit it up, using a lighter he'd stolen from Jacques' pocket. The creep would probably have some other copies hidden elsewhere, and Chat planned to find them once he got Marinette home to bed. He blessed the foresight he'd had to put his phone on mute so Marinette wouldn't wonder why he and Adrian had the same ring tone. Even though he desperately wanted to tell her, he could see she still wasn't ready to hear his secret. Marinette returned and they silently watched until the last photo crumbled to ash, then Chat took the can to the edge of the roof and scattered the remnants to the breeze.

Marinette wearily got to her feet and stumbled, her ankles stiff from sitting. Chat caught her, then hoisted her up into his arms.

"Let me take you home."

                                                                       * * *

Marinette's balcony apartment was in shadow when Chat deposited them both on the wooden deck, but she still looked around nervously as she ushered Chat inside.

"Are you worried he's still watching?" Chat asked as Marinette hunted up a few candles.

"I don't know." She laughed nervously, touching the flame to each wick. "But it's better to be safe than sorry, right?"

"Want me to make sure?" Chat asked, cracking his knuckles. Marinette chuckled, then moved in to give him a hug.

"That's sweet, but no, thank you. I'm just going to keep an eye out from now on." Chat stroked an errant strand of hair out of her face.

"Well, if he does, he'll have me to worry about." He promised grimly. Chat tipped Marinette's chin with one claw so she would look him in the eye.

"He-he'll have to worry about me too!" Marinette retorted shakily. It was hard to speak properly with those green eyes on hers.

"Well then, with us working as a team, Jacob doesn't stand a chance."

"It's Jacques," Marinette giggled.

"Still don't care." Chat grinned.

He could feel Marinette's pulse hammering under his fingers. It seemed to be going almost as fast as his heart. Here in front of him was the woman he had loved almost half his life, dressed in a heart-stopping blue ensemble and heels that matched her eyes and clung to every soft curve. Her eyes danced as she smiled and her legs looked at least twice as long in her heels but more than that...he KNEW HER.

This was Ladybug, the partner he had fought alongside of for years, battling akumas of all sizes, watching, respecting and loving her from afar. And this was Marinette, his sweetest, most loyal friend who stuck by his side with encouragement but was also endearingly shy with a creative and intelligent heart. She was...everything he had ever wanted, he realized, pulling her closer.

"Chat?" Marinette's voice sounded shaky. "You're awfully close."

"I'm about to get a lot closer," Chat said, tipping her chin up, "I'd like to pick up where we left off last time." He murmured and kissed her.

Chat kissed her and felt her respond, her hands coming up around his neck, her fingers tangling in his hair as she clung to him. Her scent, delicate and sweet dulled his senses as he pulled her in tighter, trying to put everything he was feeling into the kiss. The years of heartache, longing and regret while he was in the States, the love he'd felt for her as a teen that had deepened when he became a man.

They finally broke apart, gasping for air.

"My princess," Chat murmured, kissing her forehead.

"Chat," Marinette whispered, feeling his gentle kisses across her scalp, then down her ear to her neck. "I guess you're over Ladybug now?" She asked cautiously.

The kissing stopped and Chat cupped her head gently in his hands.

"Listen to me Marinette." He said seriously. "I love you. ALL of you."

Even the parts you keep secret from me. He thought sadly.

"Oh," Marinette blushed. "Well, yay."

Chat fought the urge to brain her and instead pulled her in close to nuzzle the top of her head, kiss her neck, then her shoulder on the other side.

"I want you, Marinette." Chat whispered, and Marinette's heart skipped a beat.

"What?"

Hello My dear readers :)

Once again, Happy Holidays from your favorite authoress, Cantrella <3

 Who loves a good cliffhanger as much as I do? **Ducks from flying tomatoes**  Yes, I know it's mean but I am a little evil ;) 

Few things I want to talk about, once again, all the artwork I am displaying is NOT MINE. I am a writer, not an artist. But on that note, when I was searching for fanfiction artwork, I found a lot of erm...steamy visuals, and I had to wonder if anyone else was bothered by the fact that this TV show is about fourteen year-olds??? (Hence why I made this story ten years in the future.) 

Now that's not to say I didn't have fun making the next chapter very intimate, but it did cross my mind a bit that I should warn those of you that there is mature content coming up! So please don't read if you're too young. 

Sincerely,

Your Authoress Cantrella